that he could see her in order to gauge for himself how she might be feeling.
“All right. Goodbye, Mr Tate.”
“Goodbye, Cassandra. Thank you.”
Not until Cassandra made her way from the room and climbed into the coach for home did she notice her fatigue. Wanting to be fresh for church in the morning, she decided to rest for the remainder of the day. A portion of her heart, however, lingered on Mr Tate. She wasn’t sure why he was on her mind, and that only caused her to wonder all the more.
Newcomb Park
“This week went by so swiftly,” Cassandra commented almost a week later as she and Lizzy took birthday gifts for Henry to the parlor.
“It rained all week, Cassie,” Lizzy reminded her. “I felt it dragged a bit.”
Cassandra looked surprised.
“I think it might have something to do with the fact that you go to Pembroke every day. I noticed that you even stayed longer a few times.”
“It must be the book,” Cassandra concluded. “We find it rather fascinating and can’t put it down. We’re almost done with it. I’m not sure what we’ll read next.”
Lizzy stared at her sister, but she didn’t notice. She couldn’t help but ask herself whether Cassandra had noticed how often she referred to herself and Mr Tate as we.
“So do you think you’ll keep going back?”
“I think so. The whole point is for relaxation, and it seems Mr Tate is getting plenty of that.”
“And are you enjoying it?” Lizzy asked, but this time Cassandra heard something in her voice.
“What are you up to, Lizzy?”
“I’m not up to anything.”
Cassandra looked skeptical, especially when Lizzy turned to the glass above the mantel and checked her hair.
“I just can’t help but wonder,” Lizzy admitted, her back still to her sister, “if things might not get a bit personal between you and Mr Tate.”
Cassandra blinked.
“Lizzy, he can’t even see me.”
Lizzy turned to face her. “What does that matter?”
Cassandra opened her mouth to reply, but no words formed, at least not for several seconds.
“It just does!”
Lizzy laughed. “That was an interesting conclusion.”
“Come now, Lizzy, don’t be planting ideas in my head. You’ll make me uncomfortable in the poor man’s presence.”
“All right. I won’t tease you.”
Cassandra looked at her. “But you’ll be thinking it, won’t you?”
“Only what I’ve said to you; nothing more.”
Cassandra nodded. That was a fair enough answer, and it brought the conversation to a good close. And only just in time. Dinner was about to be served, and after that—the gifts. Both women were excited about the presents they had to give.
“Thank you, Lizzy,” Henry told her sincerely, looking again at the leather notebook. It was the type he always liked, and this time the leather had been dyed a dark green, just the color of his study.
“I have another gift to present to you,” Lizzy said, passing a small, unwrapped box in his direction.
Henry took it wordlessly, his brows rising when he saw the contents. Both women laughed when he brought out a bug—a huge, dead beetle to be exact—lying on a bed of straw.
“Edward sent it,” Lizzy put in, “and it wouldn’t hurt my feelings in the least if it stayed in your office.”
“I rather like it,” Cassandra offered, leaning close to have a look. It was the largest insect she’d ever seen, very black and thick.
Henry bumped the straw just then, and the bug appeared to move. Cassandra sat back in a hurry.
“Are you sure it’s dead?”
“Very,” Henry told her, but it was obvious he was amused.
“I think Lizzy might be right, Henry. I can see it gracing the shelves of your study.”
This actually wrung a smile from Henry, and after seeing it, Cassandra went for her gift. It was a bit cumbersome, but she didn’t ask for help as she set it near his feet.
“This one is from me.”
Henry tore back the wrapping, saw the name “de Witt,” and froze.
“What have
“All right. Goodbye, Mr Tate.”
“Goodbye, Cassandra. Thank you.”
Not until Cassandra made her way from the room and climbed into the coach for home did she notice her fatigue. Wanting to be fresh for church in the morning, she decided to rest for the remainder of the day. A portion of her heart, however, lingered on Mr Tate. She wasn’t sure why he was on her mind, and that only caused her to wonder all the more.
Newcomb Park
“This week went by so swiftly,” Cassandra commented almost a week later as she and Lizzy took birthday gifts for Henry to the parlor.
“It rained all week, Cassie,” Lizzy reminded her. “I felt it dragged a bit.”
Cassandra looked surprised.
“I think it might have something to do with the fact that you go to Pembroke every day. I noticed that you even stayed longer a few times.”
“It must be the book,” Cassandra concluded. “We find it rather fascinating and can’t put it down. We’re almost done with it. I’m not sure what we’ll read next.”
Lizzy stared at her sister, but she didn’t notice. She couldn’t help but ask herself whether Cassandra had noticed how often she referred to herself and Mr Tate as we.
“So do you think you’ll keep going back?”
“I think so. The whole point is for relaxation, and it seems Mr Tate is getting plenty of that.”
“And are you enjoying it?” Lizzy asked, but this time Cassandra heard something in her voice.
“What are you up to, Lizzy?”
“I’m not up to anything.”
Cassandra looked skeptical, especially when Lizzy turned to the glass above the mantel and checked her hair.
“I just can’t help but wonder,” Lizzy admitted, her back still to her sister, “if things might not get a bit personal between you and Mr Tate.”
Cassandra blinked.
“Lizzy, he can’t even see me.”
Lizzy turned to face her. “What does that matter?”
Cassandra opened her mouth to reply, but no words formed, at least not for several seconds.
“It just does!”
Lizzy laughed. “That was an interesting conclusion.”
“Come now, Lizzy, don’t be planting ideas in my head. You’ll make me uncomfortable in the poor man’s presence.”
“All right. I won’t tease you.”
Cassandra looked at her. “But you’ll be thinking it, won’t you?”
“Only what I’ve said to you; nothing more.”
Cassandra nodded. That was a fair enough answer, and it brought the conversation to a good close. And only just in time. Dinner was about to be served, and after that—the gifts. Both women were excited about the presents they had to give.
“Thank you, Lizzy,” Henry told her sincerely, looking again at the leather notebook. It was the type he always liked, and this time the leather had been dyed a dark green, just the color of his study.
“I have another gift to present to you,” Lizzy said, passing a small, unwrapped box in his direction.
Henry took it wordlessly, his brows rising when he saw the contents. Both women laughed when he brought out a bug—a huge, dead beetle to be exact—lying on a bed of straw.
“Edward sent it,” Lizzy put in, “and it wouldn’t hurt my feelings in the least if it stayed in your office.”
“I rather like it,” Cassandra offered, leaning close to have a look. It was the largest insect she’d ever seen, very black and thick.
Henry bumped the straw just then, and the bug appeared to move. Cassandra sat back in a hurry.
“Are you sure it’s dead?”
“Very,” Henry told her, but it was obvious he was amused.
“I think Lizzy might be right, Henry. I can see it gracing the shelves of your study.”
This actually wrung a smile from Henry, and after seeing it, Cassandra went for her gift. It was a bit cumbersome, but she didn’t ask for help as she set it near his feet.
“This one is from me.”
Henry tore back the wrapping, saw the name “de Witt,” and froze.
“What have
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